It has been clear for some time that Putin hates and resents us, and would rather destroy Russia than work with us.
Reminds me of a Russian joke:
Two Russian farmers hated each other with a hatred that was intense and had gone on for many years.
One day, one of the farmers was ploughing his field and he unearthed a lamp, which, upon closer inspection, yeilded up a Genie.
The Genie said to the farmer: "You can have one wish. You can wish for anything you want. If you want a huge mansion, I will give you a huge mansion. If you want a wagon-load of gold, I will give you that. And if you wish for the most beautiful woman in the world to be your wife, I will give you a woman that will amaze your eyes and delight you for the rest of your life. But there is one catch."
The farmer, of course, was ecstatic and began to think of which of the many possible treasures he should wish for. But that last phrase caught his attention and he said: "What's the catch?"
"The catch is," said the Genie, "that whatever you wish for, I will give you, but I will also give your neighbor double. If I give you a mansion, I will give him two mansions. If I give you a wagon-load of gold, he gets double that. And if you get the most beautiful woman in the world for your wife, he will have two women, of equal beauty."
So the farmer thought and thought, and finally he came up with a wish:
"Pluck out one of my eyes!"
Lol!
That's about right.
Maybe three of Russia's greatest leaders were Ivan the Terrible (a madman), Catherine the Great (a notorious nymphomaniac), and Stalin (one of history's greatest mass murderers). Yet under these three leaders, they accomplished some great things. It's a fair indication of their bad luck or aptitude with leaders.